Design Theft: Stealing Styling in the Automotive World

[DEEPNHOCK]

Saw this lively discussion on another blog....
Some interesting tidbits and comments!

http://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/automotive-history-why-the-1959-studebaker-lark-front-end-looked-so-much-like-the-1960-valiant-front-end-it-was-stolen/

(snippet copy - see link for entire article)

Why The 1959 Studebaker Lark Front End Looked So Much Like The 1960 Valiant Front End

By Paul Niedermeyer

The main task was to drastically reduce the front and rear lengths of the Commander body. That may have been the easy part. But the Lark needed a fresh new face, as well as rear end. This body dated back to 1953, and was generally very out of date.

One of the magazines we get talked about the styling of the first Lark. Duncan McCrae was the Studebaker stylist. But the secret is out. Really what happened: Virgil Exner leaked some style elements from the Valiant through his son, who was consulting with Studebaker. McCrae took those elements and stuck them on the Lark. Look at the grill and the Valiant. Look at the headlight eyebrows on the Lark. Then look at the Valiant.

Look at the taillight treatment. Slanted vs. horizontal. McCrae and Stevens worked on the proposals below (referring to the Sceptre

the 1960 Corvair popularized in Europe and the rest of the world

[8E45E]

It was alson in December, 2012 Collectible Automobile magazine.

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/showthread.php?65426-Interview-with-Designer-who-assisted-in-Lark-Design-December-Collectible-Automobile&highlight=coates

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/showthread.php?65636-Article-in-Collectible-Automobile&highlight=COLLECTIBLE

Craig

[4961Studebaker]

Oh no I've placed valiant taillights on my lark.! Not really they are Lokar

Thanks for the article. And just who is this noted Historian Rob Moore?

[8E45E]

Oh no I've placed valiant taillights on my lark.! Not really they are Lokar.

The Messerschmitt had them first, but they were much closer together!!

Craig

[4961Studebaker]

Oh I like that better Craig. That is my inspiration story from now on Should I say the Messerschmitt plane not the car to get a reaction?

[studegary]

Why are all of the Studebakers represented by pictures of modified cars (except the only 1959, the hardtop) and the other manufacturers' pictures are factory pictures?

I posted a lengthy response to the blog and hit submit. It came back as "invalid data". What I typed disappeared. I gave up.

[deco_droid]

I saw that article as well, almost posted the link. Paul N. has a nice site over there. It's amazing how many old cars he sees everyday being daily driven. In my area, most everyone drives late model, and the old cars you mostly see at car shows...

[JBOYLE]

Cars coming up with similar design elements within a year probably isn't theft.
However, three years is another story. Witness the 1963 Hillman Imp and the early Corvair.

[SScopelli]

I love this add that said the grill gave unrestricted air flow to the radiator..



Modern cars, unless some gaudy Chrysler, the Grill is very small.

[StudeRich]

I like that Ad, it goes into a LOT more about Lark Superiority than just the Grille.

[studegary]

[QUOTE=SScopelli;
Modern cars, unless some gaudy Chrysler, the Grill is very small.[/QUOTE]

The big, open mouth look of most of the new Fords comes to mind (as another exception to your "rule").

[StudeRich]

Why are all of the Studebakers represented by pictures of modified cars (except the only 1959, the hardtop) and the other manufacturers' pictures are factory pictures?

I posted a lengthy response to the blog and hit submit. It came back as "invalid data". What I typed disappeared. I gave up.

Yeah I did wonder where they got all those terrible Pics of used Larks almost always the wrong year for the point they were trying to make. And then there is that ugly, lowered and modified '59 Silver Hawk!

[Noxnabaker]

A Hawk they couldn't close the hood on + someone's been trying to jack up the car just under the front of the door...

& when it comes to Lark tail-lights I always thought they were something they had leftover from the 47 - 51 era, like stuff they thought they might use but never did.

The 60 - 62 Valiants charmed me already when I was 3 years old & a aunt's boyfriend had one & I remember walking 'round the car look'n at the happy grill & the cat-style tail-lights thinking "I hope I can afford such a beautiful car when I grow up"...
So that's why my 1:st US car was one.

& when I was 10-12 years old my dad had a -59 Lark STW red with red interior & for sure I thought a lot 'bout the designs & I used to read all I could about it too, most of it forgotten now thou...

But that thing about eyebrows over the headlights... c'mon, as if that wasn't a not-so-new the fashion of the times??? I mean: just look at a -55 Chevy...

[jimmijim8]

Yeah. it certainally is a not very good-looker Hawk. I wouldn't park that on my worst friends back 40. . The Chrysler offering is nicely styled. I wouldn't mind having a clean 4 door. cheers jimmijim

[8E45E]

The big, open mouth look of most of the new Fords comes to mind (as another exception to your "rule").

And Audi since they came out with what looks like a big gaping hole from previous years when it was only above the bumper.

BP did post some interesting reasoning why many car makers went to smaller grilles: http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...light=shutters

Craig